Grandma's Playing with Winterberry, Elves and Vintage Stuff

  I found winterberry growing  in Julie's back yard, when I was cutting the bittersweet last month, and now that  we've discarded that, it's time to bring in some Christmas greenery and berrries.  You can find quite a few plants growing right  in your own yard to make arrangements, garlands, and wreaths.

Ilex  Verticillata   This is how winterberry looks in fall, before the leaves drop.
I's a shrub  which grows on the edge of Julie's woods. In summer it has small white flowers.

 Winterberry, is a native holly, and a source of food for overwintering birds and small mammals
The bright red berries last all winter and look great in Christmas arrangements.

Frosted winterberry- It's snowing today!

My little elf tasting snowflakes.

Frosted Juniper berries

"Burning Bush" berries

Back inside, it's nice to warm up after a romp in the snow.
I didn't put the berries on the mantle,  because if they drop, I am afraid
 of Tommy eating them.
 So I just put a few branches on a platter at the table for a few days, and I can cut
 fresh ones as needed, and take the wilted ones outside for the birds on the patio.

We're having fun pretending that the elf  is spying on us,

 and having lots of discussions about being a good little boy since 

 our elf is reporting back to Santa!  it's helping a lot, along with bribing 

more time outside in the snow later,  if  we behave. 

 I love watching Tommy as he finds  "Buddy" each morning. 

         Christmas is such a fantastic opportunity to share with a youngster all about the meaning
 of Christmas.    I've love telling the Christmas story of Jesus' birth through  glorious carols and
 festive music,  story books, and TV specials.
 The magic of Christmas and Santa Claus teaches about sharing, giving and believing- in fun ways.
 We're having such an exciting time with all the holiday decorations, preparations and our family
 traditions,  and  I love seeing it all  through the eyes of this precious child.

        He wasn't one bit  afraid of Santa, like last year!  He's grown up so much in one year!

 He plays hard, jumps, runs and climbs - in constant motion.

 Right now, when I'm not busy with grandkids, I am working hard putting up decorations
for my clients, or working on my Etsy store and shipping orders!
I've been a  busy little elf listing many vintage goodies on my shop,
 for Christmas decorating and entertaining.
 There's just enough time to order my Christmas vintage stuff, if it is to arrive in time.
Vintage linens are popular in my Etsy shop, so are figurines.

Christmas Table Runner

                                                           Christmas Apron

Sold

Sold

Sold

sold! 

sold!  

I've been very busy listing great gift items as well!

 For a train collector, A hearty  train mug and some old train curtains

 A Hummel Candy Dish, " Let's Sing"

And songbooks.  A Christmas Guitar Book

I still dream of having a store one day.  I sure wish you could stop by  and have tea with me and talk about vintage goodness, how to use it throughout your home!

reading A Christmas Annual, from the year I was born,  and having a treat on my pretty china plates

  Speaking  of tea and "vintage goodness", I saw a friend at her booth on Saturday,
 and she has lovely handcrafted " feminine frills"   that you must see!

May I introduce Kathryn Ross, of  The Writer'sReverie. a  most delightful blog!

Her Etsy  shop,  Cameo Impressions has lovely hair accessories
 and  fancy Victorian-style tree ornaments.

        I hope you'll consider giving vintage and lovingly handcrafted gifts when you are
  Christmas shopping.
        It's fun to find good things that are repurposed, that have a story,
 or are  specially handmade, one-of a kind gifts.
        It's good to support small business, and Etsy is the place to find all that!
        Visit my Etsy shop,  www.etsy.com/shop/grandmalay.
         Have a good, old-fashioned vintagey Christmas!

   I hope you and your family are  richly blessed this Christmas season

                                                                                      with love, peace and joy!

   

Love, Linda

It is still Christmas at my house!

Now is when I really enjoy Christmas, the rush is over, but there's still visiting to do,  and friends to call.  The grandchildren are home from school and eager to hear about the real meaning of Christmas, as I play with them and they show me all their new things!   I'm still celebrating and my work is done and now  I can sit and enjoy  my decorations,  read my  Christmas cards, and  savor the holiday atmosphere. I have no intention of putting anything away for some time!    It is still Christmas at my house!  A vintagey Christmas, I might say.



teacup byVcagco, Made in Japan,
  and a favorte old book,  A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg

 Finally, I can sit down and  leisurely sip a cup of Christmas tea,

  without thinking about a million things that I need to do. .

                                          I like my vintage decorations best.

Some vintage glass ornaments and  paper gnomes are arranged

 in an old bookcase with some old silver.                                     

 A couple fine  Ken Ebert's prints, my very special and treasured old gifts,  from  my sweetheart, who is  also an artist and  car enthusiast,  are hung for the holidays.   An amazing automotive artist, Ebert's work was on the cover of Antique Automobile, the publication of the Antique Automobile Club of America,  for many years.  Many of his pieces depict Victorian homes decked out for the holidays, with the vintage cars.

 Another gorgeous  Ken Ebert's piece featuring a lovely wintry home and antique cars

 My vintage Lefton ceramic children,   I've named them after my grandchildren . These are Grandma's toys!
The children are content to play quietly all day with their new dollies and toys.

These little vintage Napco figures stand in my kitchen windowsill,
while  my favorite carols are still  playing on my old cassettes and CDs.

These beautiful  vintage  Coke ads hang in my kitchen.

I just popped the whole magazines in some old frames.

 I love my old Santa Coca-Cola ads hanging  in my kitchen. The artist was  Haddon Sunblom, who used Clement C. Moore's Santa from"Twas the Night Before Christmas" for inspiration.  He often used himself for a model, and for the children he used a neighbor's little daughters, changing one to a boy.  He painted for the Coca-Cola Company from 1931-1964, creating the modern day image of Santa that we mostly see today.

 

  Vintage glass ornaments are so pleasing to me, and usually get hung

 in a small window, with ribbons, instead of  on my tree.

My holiday gift orders were successfully delivered

 and thankfully my customers are happy. (sighing!)

I truly enjoyed my Etsy shop this year and I am grateful to some really special post office  employees in my town.  They are super friendly and efficient and  made all  my shipments go smoothly. 

I love the illustrations from the  vintage Little Golden Books!
 I remember them fondly from my childhood. 
"Frosty the Snowman", and  "Twas the Night Before Christmas"
  were two recent sales items from my Etsy shop.

And this darling little reindeer head planter also went to a new collector.

Thank you to my Etsy customers!

 I wish you the happiest holiday season and a blessed New Year.

 It has been such a pleasure, sharing  unique little "pieces of the past"

 with you in my online shop, and I look forward to bringing you

 many more unusual and special  treasures in 2013.

Hoping you too, are still celebrating Christmas!

Love, Peace and Joy!

Linda

I am joining " A Return to Loveliness", the pary at http://adelightsomelife.com 

I also joined the Cottage Vintage Style Party at http://www.etsycottagestyle.com